Shards
by RubyD
Summary: An Alternate Universe YST fic. A different spin on each of the Troopers's origin and how they met.
1. Prologue

Picture if you will a world where our five warriors have come on to circumstances that should not have been. A place where destiny is tampered with and fate is twisted to change what is and what might have been to what is not and what shall be.   
Ryo is a boy scarred and hardened by the death of his parents from a cabin fire. Touma suffers from a fear of falling. Shu, depressed and on edge, helps manage a bar where a few interesting characters habituate. Shin is an obstacle in the way of his ambitious sister. And Seiji, after years of being taunted and abused for his appearance, contemplates the extreme.  
It is a universe of the unfortunate as they desperately cry out for something better. One monk tries to steer them in the right path, their path, and what must be.   
And so, without further ado...  
  
***  
  
Shards  
  
By Ruby  
  
Prologue  
  
***  
  
What is a world without hope?  
  
There was a fire in the forest. The black clouds of smoke and ash flying above the valley blocked the stars in the night sky. A heat so blinding, a heat so fierce, it seared in the lungs of what unfortunate creature that breathed it.  
  
Except for one.  
  
Ryo, the young boy. He stood outside unaware of the forest burning away around him, but only focused on the little cabin that held his mother and father. It was swallowed in flames.  
  
"Mama? P-papa?" he called softly. He strained his eyes and hopes to catch a sign, any sign, of them. Nothing. A moment later a blazing tree fell directly at the boy but he jumped and rolled away.   
  
He whimpered. Embers had caught themselves in his eyes, and now his head felt as if it were burning. Hands wiped at his lids, trying to get rid of the feeling. Instead it got hotter.  
  
With tears streaming down his face Ryo groped blindly at the dirt for some escape. He could feel the intense heat of the fire and smelled the smoke as the forest died. Dry grass crunched beneath his fingers.  
  
There was a creak of wood and the snapping of beams. Hearing a loud crash from behind he knew that his home had collapsed. Terrified, he turned to see through blurry vision that no one had gotten out. No one, save for himself.  
  
His parents were dead.  
  
Later he would remember the white tiger, red in the light, leaping and carrying him away from another falling pine, but at that moment he just didn't care anymore. With soft fur under his fingers and a broken heart, he clung to beast as they rode away into the dark.  
  
What is a world without hope?  
  
A bit like a child without a home.  
  
*  
  
"Sanada Ryo?"  
  
"... Ryo?"  
  
"Child, please awaken."  
  
Something cool and wet ran over his eyes, banishing the last threads of pain left over from the embers. He opened them and found the tiger hanging over him with one last lick to deliver. In curiosity Ryo poked the creature's nose with a sooty fingertip to find it firm, damp, and very real.  
  
The boy sat up in the dewy green grass. There wasn't any sign that a fire had been anywhere in the area. So it meant that he was very far from his home.  
  
He looked down at his hands.   
  
Home. It was gone.   
  
The white tiger gently nudged him on the side.  
  
"Do not fear Byakuen, he will not harm you."   
  
"I know," he answered simply, looking up. "Hello." It was a man in a monk's clothes and a large hat. The yellow straw kind that he had seen in photos once before.  
  
"Hello," said the man. Byakuen also purred a greeting. "I am Kaosu."  
  
***  
  
The world still turned, and Ryo had found a new home.  
  
Eight years passed, marking the boy just over fourteen years. In the absence of his mother and father, he had adopted Kaosu as a pseudo-parent and a teacher. As a parent the monk was mysterious and frustrating since he was usually right and the boy liked to question some of the things he said and did.   
  
But as a teacher, the man excelled. Ryo was taught things like how to defend and protect himself, taught the legend of the armors, and learned other more common things that a boy would need to know in that day and age. Like math.  
  
Yeech.  
  
But the most important stuff was the learning to fight and knowing the history.   
  
"There are five Samurai Troopers," Kaosu told him as they sat on separate boulders out in the middle of a serene lake, surrounded by jade-colored grass. The golden staff lay across the ancient's lap. "And it is my task to guide them. You know you are one... It may be my task to guide them, but you must find them first."  
  
Ryo nodded, bored, and wished that he could play with Byakuen who was sunning himself on the shore like a lazy cat - which he was.  
  
"Jin, Virtue. Chi, Wisdom. Gi, Justice. Rei, Courtesy. Shin, Trust..."   
  
He sighed softly, breathing in the cool scent of the pure waters. He'd heard this speech many times; the guy had missed his calling to be a rickety old grandpa. The image of a bearded Kaosu in a rocking chair while crooning "Why, when I was your age..." made him smile.  
  
"Is there something humorous, Ryo?" There was a note of annoyance in the old man's voice.  
  
"Nothing," he answered, diligently wiping the smirk off his face. "I'm sorry."  
  
"It's all right, child, I know you're bored."  
  
"Oh, no, that's not it at all - "  
  
"Lying is of no use. I know you have heard this all before."  
  
He paused then nodded again. "Then why bother to repeat it?"  
  
"Because I want you to remember it when I'm gone," Kaosu said somberly. "I'll die one day, you know."  
  
Ryo blinked, and reacted instantly. "You'll never die," he insisted angrily. "You can never die. You've lived for hundreds of years."  
  
"My purpose in this life is to prevent Arago and his dark army from destroying the world. When the Samurai Troopers defeat him, my task will be finished. And I will rest."  
  
"But, but - " Ryo stammered in despair, standing up. "You've taken care of me for almost half my life. You and Byakuen saved me, taught me, and raised me. There is not one day of my life that I don't owe you since the fire. How can I let you die?"  
  
"You will not *let* me die. When it happens, it will happen."  
  
"But - "  
  
"Let's not have this discussion again, child," he sighed. "It might not be for a long time coming. But for now it is time for training." In a flash the monk had grabbed the staff and swept it under Ryo's legs. The teen was knocked off the rock and fell into the water. He came sputtering back out, eyes narrowing.  
  
"That was a sucker punch!"  
  
"Hold your temper, Ryo," Kaosu chuckled. "And you must work on your reflexes."  
  
"Yeah, right."  
  
Watching the boy splash around in the shallow water the man noticed dark storm clouds rising from the horizon. Lightning flashed as thunder echoed its passing. The wind picked up and tossed his long white hair about, the feeling of something wrong ever growing.  
  
Not good. It was definitely not good.  
  
"Get to shore, Ryo," the monk ordered. "Go to Byakuen."   
  
Ryo gave a look at his tone but obeyed without question. The tiger had caught the mood and was waiting patiently for him. He wasn't two feet out of the water before a loud whistling sound descended followed by a louder splash.  
  
He spun around. Standing waist-high into the lake was a demon holding a large sword and garbed in dark green armor. He gasped, recognizing it as one of the Youja, demon soldiers, that Kaosu had once described to him.  
  
"Leave. Go with Byakuen to the city and find the other Troopers."  
  
"I can't let you fight this thing by yourself!" Ryo called back, ready to run back into the lake. The white tiger blocked him. "Come on, boy, we need to help!"  
  
"No! You do not yet have either the strength or speed it needs to defeat even one Youja. Go with Byakuen, or he will take you anyway." A second and third green-clad soldier landed. "Find the others!"  
  
"But how?"  
  
"You will, just listen to your heart of Virtue. Think, boy! You are needed for larger things."  
  
All the sound seemed to have funneled to silence and no one moved, not even the soldiers. It was as if the forest was waiting for him to answer. Eyes conflicted he stared at the monk. He wanted to help, yet he knew the guy was right. But he didn't want to lose anybody.   
  
The cat grumbled and butted the teen's hand.  
  
"Damn it," he sighed. "Let's go." Giving one last glance at his teacher Ryo jumped onto Byakuen and they both ran off into the forest.  
  
'I will see you later, Ryo,' Kaosu thought. He turned his attention to the three figures surrounding him.  
  
"Hello, old man," gurgled a Youja. It raised its sword and pointed at him. "Arago extends his invitation for you to join him."  
  
Kaosu went into a defensive stance. "He knows my answer."  
  
"Very well. Then he sends his regards." The demon soldier jumped and slashed the sword down upon the monk, but he had leaped above the assailant and brought his staff down on its neck in a fatal blow. The first collapsed in a heap of empty armor and fading smoke. The other two circle warily, then attacked.  
  
*  
  
"I should have stayed," Ryo vented, squeezing his eyes tight. "I should have helped! I - "  
  
Underneath, Byakuen growled and vaulted off of a sheer cliff. The heavy thump as they landed on soft dirt jolted the boy back to awareness. He could see Tokyo on the horizon waiting for him. With that act he knew the tiger was telling Ryo that he needed to find the other Troopers.  
  
"All right, housecat." His face was determined and focused. He had to do this. "Lead the way."  
  
***  
  
Imagine if you lived your life in a valley where people rarely visited because of the natural mountainous boundaries and the impassible rock faces they held. Inside you definitely knew about the things happening elsewhere, but have never actually experienced it for yourself. Think of a spacious, Spartan, and solitary life where it was a rare event even to see an airplane flying in the distance.   
  
Now put yourself in Ryo's bare feet as he and Byakuen explored Tokyo, the city of lights, sounds and vitality, where the towering skyscrapers surpassed the trees and cars were almost faster than any white tiger.  
  
"Wow! Mom, look!"  
  
"What is it, Jun?"  
  
"Up there on that building! It's a tiger!" The animal ducked out of sight the moment the child pointed it out.  
  
"There's nothing there, son. Come on, time to go home."  
  
"But Dad…" he whined, and trailed after them.  
  
Immediately, two silhouettes against the low hanging sun jumped off the edifice and slipped away. To avoid being seen the boy and cat had traveled on the rooftops of apartments and restaurants and the back alleys where he found the occasional magazine or local paper.  
  
"It's so big," Ryo marveled as he peeked around the side of an apartment.   
  
A small neon blue car swerved wildly around the far corner and honked loudly when it passed others, leaving a trail of smoke and swearing. He stood blinking, hearing the driver whooping in rapture at the top of their lungs and narrowly missing a blond boy as he was running to the other street.  
  
A white minivan screeched and barreled down the same path, most likely in pursuit. It also disappeared down the busy street.  
  
"And loud," he added, backing off to the inner alleyways.   
  
Byakuen rumbled in agreement. His master took up a week-old ripped newspaper; the article was about a well-known man who had been murdered by his wife, leaving a son and daughter devastated. The second story next to it described a rich scientist making more discoveries on predicting earthquakes by using the moon as a guide.  
  
"And amazing! Look at this."  
  
Ryo wondered how much it took to make someone rich. He knew the concept of money, but had never applied it before. Safe to say, he didn't have any.  
  
"And complicated," he swallowed. "More so than Kaosu taught me… And how am I going to find anyone in this place? Are any of the Troopers even here?"  
  
He sent the tiger a questioning expression. Byakuen just blinked innocently.  
  
"Oh, you're helpful."  
  
He stared down at the first article with a picture of a crying brother and tight-lipped sister as they watched their mother being arrested by officers. He looked at the teen's blue sweater and jeans, then glanced at his own tattered shirt and black pants which were hanging well above his ankles.  
  
"I have no money, no idea where to start, and I think I need new clothes. Fantastic."  
  
Byakuen sniffed and bounded ahead in the alleyway. Ryo gripped the paper with both hands and gazed once more at the picture, at the tearful boy who had lost his family.   
  
Sea-blue eyes stared back.   
  
He let it fall to the ground.  
  
"I hope Kaosu is all right."  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued  
  



	2. Seven Day Countdown

***  
  
Shards  
  
By Ruby  
  
Chapter One: Seven Day Countdown  
  
***  
  
Kaosu was all right. He had finished the fight and sent the shells of the Youja back to Arago.   
  
The Four Masho felt that this was an insult, and urged their lord to attack the human world right then.   
  
Arago, in turn, decided to wait and see if the monk would do anything further. He knew that the boy running away from the skirmish had no armor as of yet, so he would be useless to the Youjakai until then.  
  
So, in other words, the apocalypse had been delayed for a week.  
  
And Ryo, tired and hungry, let Byakuen wait outside as he stumbled into a tavern.  
  
***  
  
Lightning danced across the night sky, yet no rain fell. In the dry heat of Tokyo, it would not be a surprise if the energetic bolts hit one of the skyscrapers that took up the view. No one really noticed the natural fireworks since a lot of it was overshadowed by the glowing neon lights of downtown.  
  
What would be a less than perfect place for a fun-loving guy like Shu to work at than the Hardrock Cafe of Tokyo where tourists frequented and often chatted to you about the places they've been? Absolutely nowhere else.   
  
Except he wasn't. Instead, he worked at his uncle's place across the street.  
  
Small, dim, and smelly were the words that would first come to mind after entering. It was Chen-San's Bar, where you could try your luck in "Beat the bartender at arm-wrestling, and get a free drink." But if you didn't...  
  
"You're the one I'm supposed to wrestle?" asked a customer in disbelief as he plopped down on the unworn stool. A few of the people not smoking, drinking, or playing billiards in the hazy room turned to watch as another fool tried his luck at the bar corner. "You don't look more than fourteen!"  
  
Guess who was the bartender on duty that night?  
  
"Then you'll have no trouble receiving that drink, right mister?" Shu answered. He smiled and genially cracked his knuckles as he summed up the guy's strength. Cake. Pure cake. He set his elbow on the table with an open palm - an obvious challenge. "Do you think you can take me?"  
  
"You? Yeah," the man snorted and set his arm, grabbing the boy's hand in the process.   
  
"Your choice, remember. Now start."  
  
Bam. Arms were down and out, the victor: Shu.  
  
"M-my hand," stammered the loser. They released their grips on each other and the guy choked in a holler of pain. Every one of his fingers were twisted and misshapen - broken.  
  
"Have a free drink, anyway." Shu slid over a shot of whisky with a clink. "And then get out of here. There's a hospital on the next block."  
  
The man ran out without even looking at the glass. The teen shrugged, took up the glass, and threw it a bit too hard into the sink, as the musical tone of shattering cups told him.  
  
"Oops," he frowned. Chen-San, his uncle, did not like it when property got damaged - he took it out on their paychecks. Not that it mattered much, Shu never saw the money; he sent most of it back home.  
  
Home. That was a distant concept. Ever since arriving in Tokyo he hadn't seen his little dysfunctional nucleus in three years. Maybe he had a new sibling again - he wouldn't know.   
  
No one sent letters.   
  
No one liked to talk.  
  
He sighed. No one really cared, anyway.  
  
"That was unfair," a figure accused as he approached the bar.  
  
He'd heard statements of the sort before. "Yes it was," he answered automatically, wiping down the counter with a dirty towel. Hmm, there were a lot of cigarette burns in the polished wood. "His choice, his hand. And I've heard stuff about that guy - a gun for hire. It's justified."   
  
The squeak of a stool. Shu glanced up. It was a kid not much younger than he was.   
  
"You call that justice?" Then the guy blinked, as if realizing something.  
  
"Justice?" He paused at the word. "Well, he's not going to use that trigger finger for a while. Or flick someone off. You're thirsty, want a drink?"  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"Please, I'm a bartender. I ask everyone the same thing."  
  
"Oh. Just water, I guess."  
  
"Aha, the cheap stuff." Shu threw in some ice and gave the glass to him. He looked him over, seeing the thin and dirty clothing and uncombed hair.   
  
There was something off about him. Something that irked him, but he didn't know what.  
  
Shu glanced sideways. "You have no cash, do you?"  
  
The guy looked embarrassed. "Aa, no. Is that a problem?"  
  
"Nah." He gave him a glass of Coke.  
  
The other only stared. "What's this?"  
  
"What, you've never tried the joy of Cola before…? Well actually I think that's the Pepsi proverb."  
  
"Pepsi?"  
  
"Drink up."  
  
Black hair fell over his face as he first took a cautious sniff of the strange liquid, and then a sip. "This is good," was the declaration. "But I really can't pay for this."  
  
"Don't worry, it's only Coke." He grabbed a half of an old sandwich and placed it on the counter. "You look hungry too - here, this isn't that moldy. And anyway, the gallons Ryuusuke drinks makes up for the loss of your business."  
  
The customer fell on to the ham sandwich and ripped it apart like a lion. "Who?" he asked between mouthfuls.   
  
Shu chuckled at the lack of manners. "Him." He merely pointed to the brown-coated man with a bad goatee sitting on the other end of the bar. Ryuusuke was obviously drunk, and still drinking. He muttered into his mug, probably wanting more. The heavy diamond bracelet hanging on his wrist declared that he had money to spend, and a lot of it.   
  
"If he doesn't take that thing off someone will do it for him," Shu explained.  
  
"Rich?" the boy wondered, wiping his mouth of bread crumbs.  
  
"Two words that describe him: 'I'm' and 'loaded'. I think it's because he's getting hitched soon, and a bunch of the stuff comes from his wife's fortune."  
  
"Hitched?"  
  
He gave the teen a funny look. Weird. "Married. He comes in here every night."  
  
"Because he's getting married?"  
  
"That could be it." Shu smiled. "Never does much. Just sits and talks to his beer. By the way, I'm Shu."  
  
"Ryo."  
  
"So what do you want to know?" In a second, the friendly smile turned into a slight sneer. "What insects we put in our drinks? Who are the local dealers? My life's story?"  
  
"Wh-what?"   
  
"Oh, come on!" he sighed airily. "It's been bugging me ever since you got here: there is definitely something not normal about you. Like an itch in my head I can't, for all the broken fingers, scratch. What the Hell is it? Is it the bad acting?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
His tone became harsh. "My question: What are you doing here? Answer: I'm thinking you're a new and green amateur reporter out for a good scoop, or maybe you're from that Taibatsu School here on a gang initiation... from the looks of ya, I'd say the latter. Am I right?" Shu gave an expectant look. "Say something, I need to figure you out."  
  
Ryo stared, wide-eyed and surprised. "Gang? Me? No, I'm just trying to find somebody," he answered, eyes narrowing.  
  
"Me, I bet."   
  
"Well, actually..."  
  
"Here's the life's story: I was born, sent to work, and the end. Are you going to try and steal the cash from the register, now?"  
  
"Shu, sorry, but - "  
  
"What?" He scowled at the clueless look he was receiving. Shu glanced around and spotted a spray bottle. He lifted the duck-mouthed item and sprayed the teen with a light mist of water. "Maybe something else to drink?"  
  
"Hey!"   
  
Spray. "Not enough? Want some filler?"  
  
He wiped the water out of his eyes. "Quit it!"  
  
Squirt. Shu had changed the nozzle so that a thin jet of liquid audibly hit the boy on the forehead. "Food for the brain? Bunch of brothers and sisters, Mom sleeps around, and Dad mooches off of everyone including me. Blah, blah-frickin'-blah."  
  
"Excuse me?" Ryo shoved away from the counter with an expression of confusion and anger. "No! What's with the attitude? You were nice enough earlier."  
  
"After I crushed Joe-Whoever's hand, of course."  
  
"Okay, I am sorry for whatever I did to offend you, but if you're one of the people I'm searching for, then I have important news."  
  
"Oh, really?" With knuckles under his chin Shu leaned forward in mock interest. "Spill."  
  
Ember eyes locked onto his own and he said, in all seriousness, "The end of the world is coming."  
  
Silence.  
  
Ryo looked on hopefully.  
  
Shu paused; not sure he heard what he thought he had heard. His mouth twitched then he began laughing. Laughing hard. "Ryo, I gotta say to you, that's so lame it's funny." The bartender coughed, spirits lifted. "Tell you what, leave right now and you're welcome back another time."  
  
The teen's face fell. "But I'm telling the truth!" he shouted angrily.  
  
"Sure. Now go, lest I change my mind."  
  
Ryo stared in disbelief. "This is a harder job than I thought."  
  
"Quit babbling." He grinned. "Go."  
  
With a growl Ryo kicked aside his stool and stomped towards the door.  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued 


	3. Running On Empty

***  
  
Shards  
  
By Ruby  
  
Chapter Two: Running on Empty  
  
***  
  
The thrill of the chase.  
  
Or more accurately, the thrill of being chased.  
  
The hunter was an off-white minivan with tinted windows roaring down the city streets, lit by store lights, while trying not to do too much damage.  
  
The prey, an electric sapphire Beetle with windows rolled down, also flying across the asphalt, though not as caring about causing damage. The driver knew the area and clearly knew how to drive, and he blatantly shoved that fact into the minivan's face.  
  
"Screw you, suckers!" Touma jubilantly shouted out the window as he finally lost it in the commercial part of Tokyo. Eyes alert and pulse still racing he turned back to the wheel in time to avoid a stray dog. That was fun.  
  
Drivers passing at his right made a double take when they spotted his youthful face and blue hair. He only turned fourteen two weeks ago and was still too young for a license.   
  
Did he care?  
  
He grinned and pressed on the pedal, his dark jacket whipping in the wind.  
  
What do *you* think?  
  
"Oh, shit!" Minivan had returned but this time in the road in front of him. Touma jerked the wheel to the left and made a hasty U-turn. Twin black streaks left its mark as he slammed on the gas and sped forward.  
  
His luck did not hold out. He was retracing his path, but the few crashes he had caused earlier now came back to mock him in the form of a giant traffic jam spanning over two miles.  
  
Paranoia set in. Touma tapped his fingers nervously on the rear-view mirror. The minivan was stuck about half a block behind him - too close, in his opinion. Expectantly, the door of the vehicle opened and two black-suited guys stepped out.  
  
That's it.  
  
A few beads of sweat trickled down his temple as he waited to see what they would do.   
  
Time to get out.  
  
The men began jogging towards him.  
  
'What did you think they'd do?' Touma berated himself.  
  
So OUT!  
  
"Sorry, girl," he cooed, petting the dashboard. He jerked the keys from the ignition and hurdled through the window, rolling to a stop in front of a red jeep in the next lane.   
  
So not good.  
  
Touma covered his eyes and prepared for the worst.  
  
Headlights in the darkness.  
  
When nothing happened he took a peek through his fingers. It had skidded to a stop and was waiting patiently for him to cross. He stood and gave the woman in the driver's seat a relieved salute then ran across to the doors of the mall.  
  
And then he was in. Five stories of nothing but utter and pure commercialization. He swallowed uneasily just gazing up at the feeble railings separating the people from the abyss.  
  
Oh, God, how did people stand being up there?  
  
He shuddered and glanced away.  
  
Still, he thought, it was perfect.   
  
It was a busy day and the place was filled with tourists and shoppers. As modern upbeat music played over the loudspeakers he ducked into a circle of clothing racks next to the entrance. Two little girls out with their mother saw this and peeked in at him.  
  
"Shh," he told them. If the suits saw him, he was dead. "I'm playing hide-and-seek. Do you know what that is?"  
  
They giggled and nodded. The twins sent conspiring looks at the back of their mother whom was searching for bargains at another rack.  
  
"Ah, so I see you've played this game before?"  
  
More nodding and childish laughter.  
  
"Fun, isn't it? I'm hiding, so go to your mother and don't tell anyone I'm here. Okay?"  
  
They smiled, gave a final bow of their heads and scampered off. The teen hurriedly shoved several deep blue sweaters to fill in the gap the girls left.  
  
Then the men burst through the doors. He froze in his hiding spot, yet thankfully they did not see Touma or notice the lightly swaying rack of clothes. The boy relaxed a bit when the two adults passed him. The suits looked so out of place and cliched among the young shoppers that he wanted to roll his eyes in shame. They even had sunglasses on.  
  
These were not cops. Worse, they were bodyguards. His father really needed to find some smarter help.  
  
The problem with having a rich, rich, *rich* and over-controlling dad was the hired guards that were supposed to "protect" and "keep him out of trouble."   
  
Meaning bother the boy non-stop 24/7 and give him little freedom.   
  
He did not like them. He did not like his father.  
  
But he did like freedom. And cars.  
  
And he definitely enjoyed out-smarting blockheads like those two.  
  
One suit gestured to the other and then pointed to a group of American teenagers that were gabbing at a sushi stand. Half of them had brightly colored hair. They murmured something and gave chase.  
  
Have fun, stupid.  
  
He crept out of his hiding place and swiftly dashed in the other direction towards a second smaller exit. Now there was a good and thick crowd of humanity between him and the guards.  
  
Overcast skies.  
  
Out again.  
  
Ah, fresh air.   
  
…Or as fresh as it was going to get in an alley.  
  
With a sigh, Touma mapped out the area in his head and jogged away, destination known. But before he was even a quarter of a block down a wave of dizziness hit him, and he stumbled for a moment to fall on all fours. A slight tremor steadily worked its way up his right arm when he forced himself to stand.   
  
He was all right.  
  
Another minute to slow his panting.   
  
All right, damn it!  
  
Fists tenderly clenched and unclenched.  
  
Just fine.   
  
"Glad no one saw that," the boy softly muttered.  
  
Someone did, of course. Never underestimate the power of chance.  
  
Close behind in the shadows was a pair of brown eyes staring in curiosity. Byakuen sniffed then silently followed - the teen was already headed in the same direction he was.  
  
***  
  
"Quit Babbling. Go."  
  
With a frustrated growl Ryo kicked aside his stool and stomped towards the door. A few of the six people still accompanying their drinks in Chen-San's watched him stomp out.   
  
The door creaked open and slammed shut. The night air greeted him by cooling his hot face and drying the still dripping water. The teen paused in front of the wooden frame with fists clenched. He had been accused of… of… well, whatever he was accused of, and then squirted with water!  
  
And Shu didn't believe him! That was bad. It was essential that Ryo find a way to convince the young bartender.  
  
Were the rest of the Troopers going to be this difficult?  
  
Damn!  
  
He turned and punched the faded yellow sign of the bar, then winced. Ouch. That wasn't very smart. At least the pain allowed him to focus on something other than his failed attempt at recruiting Shu, the one of Gi.  
  
Justice? That was questionable.  
  
Rubbing his bruising knuckles he slowly knelt down with head gently leaned against the cool brick wall. Being the city, the alley was sprinkled with a person here or there dressed in bright clothing or stumbling drunk. Deep in thought he ignored all of them. Ryo wasn't sure how he knew it was Shu, but there was an odd tugging in his soul at the mention of justice. It just seemed right.  
  
'Listen to your heart of Virtue,' Kaosu had told him.  
  
Ryo wished the old man was there to help him. He suddenly longed for the safe and familiar surroundings of the valley where all he needed to know was how to react when Kaosu was in another "surprise training" mood.  
  
This place was so different. The city was wide and his suddenly blatant lack of experience with people was overwhelming. It was alien with its smells and people and customs, and there was no one he could turn to. He couldn't even turn to the stars for comfort since intense clouds and pollution blocked them. And Byakuen was out doing whatever tigers did at night in Tokyo.   
  
For the moment, he was alone. And he *felt* all alone.  
  
He sighed and tightly shut his eyes. A well of regret boiled in his soul, bringing his spirits spiraling even further towards the gutter. 'I'm sorry, Mom, Dad. Wished you were here…'  
  
"Kaosu, how am I going to find the others?" he whispered, head down. "What am I even doing here?"  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued 


	4. The Night Life

***  
Shards  
  
By RubyD  
  
Chapter Three: The Night Life  
  
***  
  
An hour had passed between escaping the bodyguards and roaming the streets.  
  
A lot can happen in an hour.  
  
Touma whirled dreamily along the dimly lit streets not bothering to glance at the sauntering women, and a few men, who catcalled. Even at night the place was busy. A dark yet accepted side of Japan with its nightlife of paid-dates, dealers, and secret societies. But he didn't care about any of that as he rode the surge of clarity and joy in his blood.  
  
Though the growling clouds domed the skies he imagined he could feel the stars twinkling and vibrating energy to him. Every little point was its own sun pulsing with magic. The whole universe in the palm of his hands… That was what Touma wanted. For it all to belong to him, to depend on him.  
  
It's possible, he thought. Only if I tried hard enough.  
  
He was heading to Shu's place, the bar, to talk. The two had known each other for a few years, they met one day when Touma was wandering around in the alleys to avoid going home - a bit like right then. Fortunately his father didn't know about Chen-San's, so it would be safe.  
  
He gladly shoved thoughts of his parental unit aside. This was a happy night.  
  
Almost there. The doorway was highlighted with a single lamp, and the neon arrow burned a dying orange. Jogging at a clumsy pace, he didn't see the bum sitting in the shadows until he nearly tripped over him.  
  
"Hey, could you move?" Touma asked, seeing him leaning against the doorframe. "I need to get in."  
  
"Oh, sorry," he answered, scooting away. The voice was clear and young, not the rough rumble of men who've lived on the streets for a years.  
  
He blinked, squinting at the slumped shoulders and defeated tone. Maybe the guy got beat up. "Are you all right? You look terrible."  
  
Ryo sighed irritably and looked up, uninjured face annoyed and analyzing. He blinked. That hair… Touma's reddish eyes had bags decorating them, and the hair was dirty and unkempt. There was something about the air around him that made the teen frown. "So do you."  
  
"What! Such compliments!" He laughed at the attitude. The guy looked fine - maybe it had been a spat with his girlfriend. "Did you just get dumped?"  
  
"Dumped?"  
  
"Or a fight with your lady?"  
  
"My lady? No, I don't have one…"  
  
"Really, a handsome guy like you? I was sure you'd have one, or why would you be out like this? Or maybe you like guys…?" Touma grinned brightly.  
  
What? Ryo was confused for a moment at the slightly garbled words, then flushed a bright red. "No, nothing like that at all!" he denied angrily.  
  
"Sure? 'Cause I've seen guys like you before in your situation…" He tilted his head, thinking. "Or at least, I think I have. You seem familiar, actually… Do I know you?"  
  
"Sorry, I don't thing so." The teen sighed once again, seeming to deflate. "I'm fine, just - just go in."  
  
Touma shrugged. "Suit yourself, but a word to the wise: if you never ask for help, you'll never get any."  
  
"You're strange…" He was puzzled for a moment, staring curiously. "By the way, you *do* look bad. Are you okay?"  
  
"Still with the compliments. I've never felt better!" he answered absent-mindedly. He jerked the door open, swatting at a few flies buzzing near.  
  
"Oh, all right."  
  
The door closed, and Ryo was left alone once more. A second later Byakkuen crept up from the shadows and nudged him on the cheek. The boy rubbed the soft muzzle.  
  
"Weird guy," Ryo said. He stared at the door, wondering. "And that hair! Were you following him? Do you think…?"  
  
The tiger whuffed in affirmation and sat down to wait.  
  
*  
  
"Touma!" Shu ushered when he recognized the blue mop descending steps. The two had known each other for a few years, they met one day when Touma was wandering around in the alleys to avoid going home. Usually their visits were good-natured, but when his friend plopped down on a stool the bartender's welcoming mood suddenly faded. "You look like hell."  
  
"And the flattery keeps coming. I'm perfectly fine." He set his bright gaze on his friend. "My mind's so clear tonight!" Hearing this Shu frowned and eyes narrowed, scrutinizing. Red-rimmed, tired and dilated pupils, a slight tremor of the hands, and the rank odor of sweat could be detected within a three-foot radius. He knew the symptoms.  
  
"Shit," he said simply. "You're high."  
  
"On life!"  
  
"On Ice."  
  
"Liquor is quicker," he giggled, "but fire's dryer."  
  
"On Ice," Shu repeated, dismayed. He pulled up a seat from his side and prepared to stay there. It wasn't going to be a pleasant night. "And now you're babbling. What happened? Your dad's hounds after you again?"  
  
"Grand old chase," Touma answered with a wavering grin. "The Suits never got close."  
  
"Liar. I bet they did."  
  
The boy pouted at that then stuck his tongue out. "I had to ditch the Hawk," he finally admitted. "You got anything to drink?"  
  
"Your birthday car? Geez, your mom sent that to you from *America* . . ." He shook his head. Some people had too much money. "So you escaped, got into the junk and now you're - "  
  
"Just great! I wanna drink."  
  
"Not 'just great'. Man, I thought you'd stop doing this stuff after getting kicked out of school."  
  
"Drink now, preach later!" Touma demanded, slapping his palms on the counter like a child having a tantrum.  
  
He sighed, knowing that the only way to reason with his friend was to appease him. "I'll get you some coke." Shu reluctantly got a glass and opened the mini fridge under the table.  
  
Touma leaned over and looked to converse better. "I didn't drop out," he insisted. "They kicked me out."  
  
"Well, no wonder." The drink appeared in hand, and he took it greedily, all the while slipping a small bag out of his pocket.   
  
"No, really." Touma tried to turn the topic. "I was too damn smart for them."  
  
He let him. "Smart aleck, you mean."  
  
He laughed loudly. "Rude, condescending, egotistical, smart ass… that's me."  
  
"You used to be a shy kid. Such a change." A regretful tone.   
  
"What happened, I wonder?  
  
"I wonder," Shu murmured with disapproval. He didn't understand why people didn't enjoy school - he'd jump at the chance to be able to do and learn about something, anything, other than a life of mixing drinks.   
  
"Probably I just got bored. Just… tired." There was a dramatic sigh. "I stopped paying attention and started speaking up. Spoke pretty loudly, too."  
  
"In comes the smart aleck, emphasis on the smart?" he responded dully, already knowing the full story.  
  
"Yeah, I made a few of them feel stupid, but I didn't mind. They were all idiots. And nobody would ever lay a hand on me because ol' daddy-dearest and his fountain of cash could pay them off when someone complained." Touma gave a lopsided smirk, remembering the remarkable self-control the teachers managed when he was in class. It was amazing to see just how angry one person could get. He wanted people to be angry, wanted them to see how incredibly frustrating it was to have so much rage yet not be allowed to act on it.   
  
'See?' he had wanted to say. 'It sucks, doesn't it?'  
  
Shu was sorry at his friend's expression. "Didn't the principal ever call your father in for a lecture on 'How to Improve on Parenting'?"  
  
"Dad didn't bother with school conferences - they took up his valuable time." Touma took a sip of the bittersweet drink. "I took up his time."   
  
"He got you a tutor instead."  
  
"One I never go to. I refuse. My father's minions can chase me all they want, but I didn't quit educational prison just to be put into another one." The teen scowled at the glass.   
  
His friend looked on with concern. "Touma?"  
  
"How old is this? It's flat."  
  
"So are most of the drinks."  
  
"I'll just spice it up, then." He tapped some pebbly white clumps out of the tiny pouch and onto his hand. Shu's eyes widened. With a feral swipe, the bartender knocked the drink and the hand into spilling their contents.  
  
"Damn, Touma!" he growled, soda splashing the counter. The customers were staring and ready to leave, but he didn't notice. "You *know* you're not supposed to bring that crap in here!"  
  
"I'm tired," he whined petulantly.   
  
"Then get some stupid sleep! You've probably been up the last three days running around for what? Nothing."   
  
"It's nothing." Touma wiped his hands slowly, aware of every drop of crystal that he dropped on the ground, forever unused. "It just keeps me awake, that's all."  
  
"It's Ice, it's a drug, and that's not all! The first excuse was taking them so you could stay up late to do homework. Now that you'll never do schoolwork ever again, what's your excuse?"  
  
"I'm telling you, they help me stay alert now that Dad's lackeys are always on my back. And it makes me feel better." Why couldn't Shu understand that? He *needed* it.  
  
"Is that how you justify it: to stay awake and alert? What happens when it finally runs down your system and you're all moody like my mom on a bad day…?"  
  
Touma gritted his teeth, scratching at his palms desperately until they turned pink. "I use it to keep focus."   
  
"I think you use it to piss off your father."  
  
"What would you know about Mr. Big Shot Scientist, huh?" he irritably snapped. "Both of you haven't met, you don't know what he's like."  
  
The bartender grew quiet, somber. "I know you, Touma."  
  
"Know me? Know *me*? Nobody can know about me but me! Hell, you don't even know what's happening with your own parents! They left you here in a crap job with crap pay!" A second too late he realized what he had said and regretted opening his mouth.   
  
A stricken expression flashed across the Chinese boy's face and he dropped his eyes to the wet tabletop. "Touma…"  
  
There was an uncomfortable pause.   
  
"Sorry," he sincerely said. "I didn't mean it."  
  
"Get out."  
  
He was surprised, and yet not really. "But I said - "  
  
The look Shu gave stopped him. "I know what you said, and that's okay." Before Touma could relax he added, "But I'm not going to watch you sit there and suck in that stuff through a straw then spit this denial on me. I've known a few bums that collapse in here after telling themselves once too many times that 'it wouldn't hurt'. I don't think you're a bum. You're smart, and you do know better.  
  
"So get out."  
  
*  
  
Ryo and Byakuen dove to the side as Touma angrily flung the door open and ran out. They had heard the confrontation and Ryo knew he had to keep track of the teen. The echoes of rapid footsteps were already fading by the time the pair got up and gave chase. They were swallowed into the night, and the slapping of feet on pavement like the beating of a drum tapered away.  
  
***  
  
To Be Continued 


End file.
